I Want to Be Your Wings
by Akina Hasegawa
Summary: My first Fanfic...I'm so proud...TwT Anyway, this is pretty much a cute little love story, mainly foccusing on KisaHiro. A trip to the theme park is any kid's idea of a dream summer vacation. It's fun, exciting...romantic? COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Just a few notes: when you see this , it's just like in the manga—it means there's a translation note. All translation notes are at the bottom of the page, at the end of this chapter.

I really don't like flame…but if my fanfic is really off the mark, please tell me! And do be kind about it…I really don't like flame…T.T

Konnichiwa! This is my first fanfic...Heheheh…; I hope you all enjoy it—it was hard coming up with ideas! I really wanted to write a story with Kisa and Hiro, so, without further ado, I give you—

**I Want to Be Your Wings**

**An original fan fiction by Akina Hasegawa (impressive, ne?)**

**Chapter 1: Let's Go!**

"How much longer is this going to take?"

The red haired girl looked up from the picture she had been staring at to look up at the sandy-haired boy standing over her. She had been cleaning her room for most of the day, and had been so absorbed in what she was doing that she hadn't heard him approach.

"Hiro-chan…How long have you been waiting?" she asked timidly.

"Long enough," he replied indignantly, bending over the young girl's shoulder to see the picture she held in her hands. "Aw man, you still have this picture? How lame…" He stood upright again and looked around the girl's room—and his eyes came to rest on a small tiger stuffed animal.

"Kisa," he said slowly, "do you remember when I gave you that stuffed animal?" Kisa looked up again as she put the picture back in her desk drawer, and when she saw which stuffed animal he was talking about—for she had so many—she smiled brightly.

"Yes, Hiro-chan," she said as she walked over to his side, "you gave it to me right before…" She faltered for a moment, and then continued. "Right before I started getting teased at school." She felt Hiro stiffen at her side, and knew he was feeling guilty, but he only turned around and strode out the door without a word. Kisa hurriedly followed him, and caught up with him as he was about to go down the stairs. Hiro hadn't slowed his pace, even though he knew Kisa and him were supposed to be going somewhere together that day. He had been waiting for so long, though, Kisa decided, that he must have been quite bored and wanted to get going.

"Come on, Kisa! Pick up the pace!" Hiro called from the stairs. Kisa nodded hesitantly and walked a little faster. When she caught up with Hiro, they had reached the bottom of the stairs, and Hiro was walking over to the doorway to put his shoes on. Kisa followed suit, and before long they were out the door and on their way.

It wasn't a very long walk; before long they were at the place they wanted to be—Shigure's house. Kisa was about to ring the doorbell, but Hiro just impatiently knocked on the hardwood of the door frame. There was a bit of shuffling coming from the other side of the door, a crash that made them both jump, and then finally the door was slid open roughly. In the doorway stood a young woman with brown hair, looking slightly rushed, her hair falling out of her long ponytail and her apron slightly ruffled.

"Welcome!" she said, smiling brightly. "I'm so glad you came today, Hiro-san, Kisa-san!" Kisa smiled subtlety, while Hiro looked slightly disgruntled.

"I'm happy you invited us, onee-chan," she said happily before walking in, Hiro following close behind. "Where will we be going today, may I ask?" The brown haired girl only smiled and led Kisa and Hiro into the living room.

"It's a secret," she said cheerily. "Now wait in here. I'll go make some tea. Ah! Hiro-san, would you mind helping me?" Hiro raised an eyebrow.

"What? Are you completely incapable of making tea? But you've made it so many times before…Or are you just trying to trick me in to doing all the work? That's so selfish! I suppose you're going to ask Kisa to get your morning paper next? And then maybe I'll get you slippers and maybe even your favorite book? Are you really willing to make kids do all your work for you? I can't stand people who can't do anything themselves!"

Kisa looked worried that Hiro had started one of his rants again, but the girl merely smiled.

"Oh no…There's just something I need to discuss with you, Hiro-san."

"Hmph, a likely story," Hiro muttered, but he got up anyway and walked into the kitchen with the girl, leaving Kisa alone in the living room. Once they were inside, the girl closed the door so Kisa would not over-hear what she was saying.

"All right, Tohru," said Hiro with little interest, "what is this all about? And why can't we talk in front of Kisa?" The girl, Tohru, smiled as pleasantly as ever and sat down at the small table in the middle of the room.

"It's about where we're going today," she said. "I've made a lot of plans…and I've decided it would be the best thing to do…" She paused for a moment, looking up at Hiro's curious expression. He always tried to conceal his emotions behind his usual bored scowl, but he couldn't help but feel slightly interested in what Tohru was saying.

"I've decided to treat you and Kisa today," she continued. Hiro nodded slowly.

"Of course," he said, "We are your guests today, after all. So what did you have planned for today?"

"Well," said Tohru slowly, "I've been saving up for a long time, and Shigure even lent me some money for the special occasion."

"I thought you didn't like excepting money from people?" Hiro asked, his eyebrows arched skeptically.

"I didn't ask him for any money," Tohru said, her shoulders sagging and her head drooping in guilt, "but he said it was for a good cause, and that I needed a reward for cleaning the house all the time anyway. He also said he'd be dishonored if I didn't take it so…" Her voice trailed off, and Hiro rolled his eyes.

"Whatever, Honda," he said. "Just tell me where we're going today. If it's good, I'll keep my mouth shut…for today." Tohru jumped up from her seat, looking happy and energetic once more.

"Yes!" she said, grinning broadly. "Today I've decided we should do many things! It's been awhile since I've seen you, Hiro-san, and since I didn't have enough money to take you anywhere special last time, I decided to make it up to you today. So, today we're going to the amusement park!"

Hiro didn't react at first; he just stood in the middle of the kitchen with a dumb look on his face. Finally, when the news sunk in, the sneer returned on his face.

"Really? Well how original. Oh well…Simple tastes for simple people, I suppose. Kisa will like it, though, I think, so I'll deal with it. Anything else planned, or is that the only shindig you can come up with?"

Tohru smiled as serenely as ever, and walked over to the tea kettle that was starting to whistle. Hiro kept himself busy by taking out the tea leaves, assuming Tohru was done speaking and had nothing else planned. When Tohru was ready, Hiro poured the tea leaves in the steaming kettle, and then they sat down at the kitchen table again to wait for it to steep.

"I did have a few more things planned," Tohru said after a few minutes of silence had gone by, making Hiro jump, "but whatever else I have planned is going to remain a secret until we get to it today." She put a finger to her lips to emphasize her point, then got up to pour the tea, not noticing Hiro's disapproving scowl.

_What is this stupid woman plotting now? _he thought. _She acts like this whole thing is a big secret or something…What the heck is up with that? _When Tohru had the tea ready, Hiro volunteered to carry it out for her, and they all sat around in the living room, drinking their tea and talking about how nice the weather was. After a few minutes, a tall, black haired man in a kimono walked in, grinning from ear to ear.

"Good afternoon, my cute cousins," he said merrily, bending down to pat Kisa and Hiro on the head. Hiro flinched and moved away, but Kisa smiled up at the man.

"Hello, Shigure-ojiisan," she said, "How have you been doing?"

"Oh, I'm fine," he said, "but I have a deadline coming up, unfortunately. I'm afraid I shall be disappointing Mitchan once again today." Tohru smiled, feeling a bit sorry for Shigure's woeful editor, but it was Hiro that spoke first.

"Ojiisan, if you'd just kept your deadlines and made them like you're supposed to, that woman wouldn't come in all the time just to well and cry and act pathetic. Not only will you lose your job, you'll never get rid of that annoying woman. So maybe it'd be smart if you stopped messing with Mitsuru-san and got serious." Shigure only smiled at this comment.

"Ah, que sera sera, Hii-kun: What will happen, will happen and what won't, won't. Mitchan knows I'm only messing with her; and she, too, needs to learn what que sera sera means. She'll get over it in time—but I'm still a blossoming adult. I need to have some fun in my life!"

"You're twenty-seven years old—hardly blossoming," said Hiro bluntly, standing up from the table. "Shouldn't we be going now, Tohru?" Tohru looked up, slightly surprised, then smiled.

"Ah! Yes, let's!" They all stood up from the table and headed towards the door, Kisa and Tohru stopping to bow to Shigure.

"Thank-you for you graciousness," they said in unison. They looked at each other and giggled, and Hiro, watching from the entry way, rolled his eyes impatiently.

"Can we please get going now?" he asked. He was now tapping his foot on the floor, and drumming his fingers on the frame of the door. Tohru and Kisa turned around and followed him.

"Ah! Yes, just a second!" said Tohru. Kisa and Tohru slipped on their shoes, then Tohru opened the door.

"Good-bye, Shigure-san!" Tohru said with a smile and a wave. "We'll see you later, all right? Tell Yuki or Kyo to prepare lunch!" Kisa waved, then followed Hiro out onto the pavement, and Tohru walked after them. Shigure waved from the house, calling good-byes to them as they headed out, then, when they were out of site, he let his hand fall, and walked back inside. Time to make that stupid cat make lunch.

Well, there you have it! My very first fan fiction! Chapter 2 coming soon, hopefully, when I'm done with my other one. Sayonara for now, fanfic readers!


	2. Chapter 2

I decided to write this second chapter sooner than I'd planned, because I have some spare time on my hands…and I got some good reviews…Yay. Arigatou, Min'na. I'm glad you liked chapter 1!

Uwah wah wah…there were so many errors…Shigure-sama called Kisa and Hiro his cousins, when they're really his niece and nephew… and there were the translation notes that I forgot to add…and there were a ton of grammatical errors…(I loathe grammar…and that's no error). This time I'll read through it extra careful so it's easier to read. Sorry, everyone, for the errors!

And now, enjoy the next chapter!

**Chapter 2: To Where Are We Going?**

After a few minutes of silence, Kisa walked up to Tohru and tugged on her hand.

"Where are we going, onee-chan?" she asked. Hiro, who already knew of course, decided to let Tohru explain, and looked away casually. Tohru merely smiled down at Kisa, and took her small hand in her own.

"We'll be there in a little while, Kisa-san," she said, "so just wait a little while longer. I want it to be a surprise!" Kisa cocked her head, confused, but didn't say anything more about the location of their destination. Hiro merely furrowed his brow, and walked a little faster to catch up to Tohru and Kisa, for he had been falling behind on purpose, in order to avoid walking with the "stupid woman." He now walked beside Kisa, keeping a close eye on Tohru, but trying his best to look inconspicuous.

They didn't have to walk for long—before long the Amusement Park was in plain sight, and Kisa was smiling brightly.

"Onee-chan, onee-chan! It's the Amusement Park! Is this where you're taking us?" Tohru giggled, and smiled down at Kisa.

"Yes!" she exclaimed. "I thought you'd like it, Kisa-san! Are you excited?" Kisa nodded, grinning from ear to ear, and turned around to look at Hiro.

"Is Hiro-chan excited too?" Hiro blinked for a minute, then looked up at the park that was now so close.

"Yeah," he said airily, "I guess I am kind of excited. I mean, stupid woman actually took us to some place good—the least I can do is enjoy it. And you're happy, Kisa, so I guess…I am too." Kisa's grin widened, and she gripped Hiro's hand as well as Tohru's. Hiro looked at the hand that gripped his, startled, his face getting slightly red.

"Uh…Kisa," he started, but Kisa interrupted him before he could say anymore.

"Let's run the rest of the way!" she said enthusiastically. "Please? It will be fun! And then we'll be all pumped for the rides!" She didn't wait for an answer—she took off running, dragging Tohru and Hiro behind her. Hiro was too shocked to say anything, but Tohru was laughing the whole way, as was Kisa.

By the time they reached the park, both Kisa and Tohru were gasping for breath, Hiro standing there and watching as they huffed and puffed. He was more athletic, and wasn't at all tired.

"If you two are done goofing off, can we go inside?" he asked impatiently. They were right outside the arch, and only a few steps away from the ticket booth. Tohru, after gasping for a few more minutes, stood up straighter, and smiled her usually nonchalant grin at Hiro.

"I'm…sorry…Hiro-san," she said between gasps, "for making…you wait…We shall go in…now." She walked over to the ticket booth slowly, followed by Kisa and Hiro. Kisa was still out of breath, and was walking slower than both Tohru and Hiro. Hiro looked back at her, his brow furrowed in worry, then walked over to her. She was bent over, her hands on her knees, deeply exhaling and inhaling. She looked up to tell Hiro to go on in, and when she did an outstretched hand was thrust in front of her.

"Here," said Hiro, "Lean on me for support. We shouldn't have to wait all day for you." He sounded gruff when he spoke, but Kisa smiled softly at his words—she knew he meant well. She took his hand in hers once more, and he helped her stand upright.

"Thank-you very much, Hiro-chan!" she said cheerily. Hiro turned away to hide the blush that was starting to spread on his face, then started walking, Kisa leaning on him like he had told her to. Tohru stood near the gate, proudly holding the tickets over her head.

"We can go in now!" she said happily. "Let's go!" Kisa, whose breath seemed to have returned to her, smiled and walked over to where Tohru stood. Hiro, with a small sigh, joined them.

"Yeah," he said, "let's go in. I've had enough of all these delays." Kisa smiled at him, then they walked inside together.

"What should we do first, Kisa-san?" Tohru asked. Kisa was looking around with a dazed look on her face, grinning at her surroundings.

"I don't know. Should we go on a ride first? Or maybe we should eat? It is almost lunchtime. Why don't we go to a food stand and then…Um…" Her eyes caught sit of a huge roller coaster, loaded with tons of screaming and laughing people, and her eyes grew bright. "Then afterwards we can go on that ride!" Hiro shook his head, making Kisa cock hers.

"That might not be the best idea," he said slowly. "Why don't we go on the roller coaster _before _we eat?" Kisa nodded hesitantly, looking up at Tohru as if to ask her permission. Tohru merely smiled down at her.

"Anything you want to do is fine with me," she said, "I'm treating you, remember? Please, do what you like! I'm here to make sure you two have a good time." Kisa nodded and smiled, then took Hiro's hand.

"Let's ride that one first!" she said, pointing at the big roller coaster she had mentioned earlier, and, tugging Hiro behind her, ran off to the roller coaster line.

Okay, here are the translation notes, just so I don't forget.

Honorifics 

san: Mr., Miss, or Mrs. Most commonly used, and familiar with most anime/manga fans.

chan: used to show endearing or affection. Used for girls usually, but can be used for any gender, or for people younger than the person using the honorific.

sama: used for the master of an art, much like sensei, and also used to show great respect towards a person, such as an elder.

dono: the highest honorific, and shows deep respect. It comes from the word tono, meaning lord.

Onee-chan: big sister, literally

Ojiisan: uncle


	3. Chapter 3

Hi! I'm sorry it took so long, but the next chapter of I Want to Be Your Wings is here. Gomen nasai! I had no idea so many people liked it (am I getting too ego-centric?)! I have no idea how many chapters there will be, but apparently I've been making them too short…and that I agree with. Sorry, sorry…I noticed a few more errors…Kuso…Ah well…We're only human; we all make mistakes, right? I suppose I should read these things a little more thoroughly though…It takes a lot of patience (for me) to finish this stuff and then proofread the whole darn thing…Oh well…Enough of my complaining…Here's Chapter 3!

**Chapter 3: Is Everyone Having Fun Yet?**

"Uwaaaaaaaah!"

Hiro looked up at the screaming people aboard the roller coaster with a mixture of pity and anxiety. Was the roller coaster really that bad or were the people just easy to scare? It must have been bad to have all the people on it screaming their lungs out, but they were also smiling…so maybe it wasn't all that bad? Well, Kisa wanted to go on it…and what if she got scared?

"Hiro-chan," Kisa said, tugging on his hand and taking him away from his thoughts, "it's almost our turn." Hiro blinked, and looked back at the roller coaster that was slowly coming to a stop.

"Ah," he said, moving forward an inch in line, "right. Are you nervous, Kisa?" Kisa shook her head.

"Surprisingly I'm not," she said, "but it does seem like one could be intimidated by such a big ride, doesn't it?" Hiro laughed weakly.

"Uh, yeah," he said, "like those screaming people getting off right now…What a bunch of wimps, right Kisa?" Kisa shook her head again.

"They are not wimps, Hiro-chan," she said. "They are only screaming both because they are excited and afraid. Some people are deathly afraid of roller coasters, so it's not polite to make fun of them. Even if it weren't just a roller coaster, it takes great courage to face our fears. So those who can go on a roller coaster, even if they think they might regret it, are really strong." Hiro stared at Kisa for a second, then looked back at the laughing people who were getting of the coaster.

"So," he said quietly, "that's why you're not scared, Kisa--because you're strong? Is that what you're saying?" Kisa looked taken aback by the comment, and started to apologize, but Hiro only shook his head and smiled. "You _are _strong, Kisa. I'm not denying that. I've known that for a long time. You can face your fears so well…but me…I…" He stopped when he saw Kisa's worried expression and shook his head again.

"It's nothing," he said, then walked forward, motioning for Kisa to follow. "Come on. It's our turn." Kisa nodded, forgetting what Hiro had been saying for the moment, and climbed aboard the roller coaster next to Hiro. Hiro stared at what he could see of the track ahead, almost regretting he had agreed to go on this ride. His cowardice made him clench his teeth, and, as the person controlling the ride lowered the securing bar, he tightened his grip on it.

_Come on, you moron_, he thought, looking sideways at Kisa, _you can at least have courage for _this_. I have to show Kisa that I can be strong too. Everyone says I'm her "prince"—I should start acting like it! _ He looked at Kisa again, who was smiling was brightly as ever, then turned away quickly. _Yeah_, he though, _let's do this! _ There was a short reminder about keeping your hands and arms inside the ride at all times, and a few other rules, and then the coaster started to lurch forward, then leave the station it had started at. Hiro felt his stomach lurch as the roller coaster did, and was thankful that they had decided to go on the roller coaster first. The coaster rounded a corner, then slowly but surely inched up a tall bump in the ride. Hiro gulped as it rose to the top of the hill, then stopped dramatically at the top. He looked over the edge with a sickening feeling in his stomach, and quickly leaned back again. His grip was so tight on the safety bar that his knuckles were white, and it took an effort for him to keep his eyes open. Suddenly, he felt a hand touch his. He looked over at Kisa, who was grinning at him softly. He blinked, the commotion in his stomach becoming less. There was a moment in which time stood still, and then started back up again as Kisa lowered her hand, and the roller coaster shot down the hill much faster than it had on it's journey up.

Hiro yelled, but not with fright—with joy. He was actually having a good time, despite how nervous he had been before.

_Kisa was right_, he though to himself, _it really is better to face our fears. _ The roller coaster raged over many more hills, though many more bends, and then, finally, came to a stop. The safety bar lifted, and Kisa and Hiro jumped back onto the loading platform and down a flight of stairs back to where Tohru was standing, laughing the whole way.

"That was fun, wasn't it, Hiro-chan?"

"Yeah, I guess it was, if you like getting your stomach tossed. Did you like it, Kisa?"

"Yes!"

Tohru ran over to greet them, happy to see they were so energetic.

"I see you had a good time, you two. Should we get something to eat now? There's a taiyaki stand over there." Hiro looked at Kisa, who nodded vigorously.

"Yeah, sure," he said, "why not. Taiyaki is so plain though…I guess it's all you can afford with _your _salary, Honda." Tohru just nodded, acting like she hadn't heard Hiro's sarcastic comment, and lead them to the taiyaki stand. The stand was located near the Merry-Go-Round, and had wonderful foliage on its other side. Lush trees shaded the area, and there were flowers on every table. Tohru told Kisa and Hiro to sit at a table while she bought the fish-shaped pastries, after taking their orders, and then walked over to the stand.

They sat in silence for a few minutes, Hiro looking at any rides they might be able to go on next, and Kisa looked at all the flowers. A few more minutes passed by before Hiro looked away from the rides and focused his vision on Kisa.

"Kisa?" he asked hesitantly. Kisa looked up, blinked, then smiled at Hiro.

"Yes Hiro-chan?" Hiro looked at his hands, not wanting Kisa to see how red his face had gotten.

"I…I really do believe it's better to face our fears…instead of always running away," he stuttered. His face was turning a bright crimson now, and his heart was beating wildly. "S-so…from now on I won't run away. I'll face my fears head on, and…" He paused, and looked up at Kisa once more. Her head was cocked to one side, and her eyes were wide, waiting to hear what he would say next. Hiro clenched hi fist, and tried his best to look Kisa in the eyes.

"Kisa, I…I--!"

"The taiyaki's here!" Hiro almost fell over in shock as Tohru ran over with the tray of taiyaki. He quickly righted himself, but looked away from Kisa and Tohru until his face lost its crimson flush and his heart was beating slower.

_I was so close, _he though, _Why'd that stupid woman have to interfere? Ugh, she's so annoying! _ He turned around to glare at Tohru, then averted his gaze to the taiyaki on the tray in front of him. He picked it up roughly and started to chew on it, glaring at Tohru the whole time. Tohru looked confused, but smiled all the same, as she helped Kisa cut her taiyaki in two.

"Hiro-san, would you like me to cut your taiyaki for you, too?" she asked. Hiro turned away, a big bite of taiyaki in his mouth, and shook his head. Kisa looked at him with worry, but she ate her taiyaki anyway, keeping her eyes on the grumpy boy.

When they were done with their taiyaki, Kisa wanted to go on the Merry-Go-Round. Hiro told her he'd pass, but Tohru went on with her, sitting in one of the booths made to look like a carriage since she was too big to ride on a horse. Hiro watched as they went around and around, as they laughed together. It made him sick to see them having so much fun together—it was as if Kisa had forgotten all about him. It seemed foolish to be jealous of this stupid woman…but what if? What if he had a right to be jealous? What if Kisa really liked her more than him? He shook his head—what the heck was he thinking? If some girl was trying to take Kisa from him he'd be sure to stop her. There was no way he was going to lose Kisa—he'd never let go of his princess. He was her knight, after all, and he had to protect her.

Translation Notes:

Taiyaki: a fish-shaped pasty (already explained in the story), usually with a filling of sweet red beans, cream, anything sweet. Served hot, I think.

The original name for his chapter was "Minna genki?" like what Japanese pop artists say before a concert. The term means, "Is everyone happy?" but it can be translated to mean, "Is everyone having fun?" I decided not to use this, both because it copped off of Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle, and because not everyone who reads manga and watches anime knows Japanese. What's the point of my saying all those Japanese phrases in my notes before each chapter? Good question…


	4. Chapter 4

I am so sorry it's taken me so long to update! I've been trying desperately to keep up, but I'm a slow typer…Gomen nasai! And after all the errors I made…Ugh…I did a bad job last time didn't I? XD; Sorry…I need to pay more attention to what I'm typing, as well as what I'm reading (I swear, it's this stupid keyboard--whatever I try to type it always comes out wrong). Thank-you, Riles, for being so patient with my many errors, and thanks for reading my stories and pointing out my errors instead of just all around criticizing it. n.n; Sorry…I'll do better this time I think…but don't I always say that? XD Enjoy, min'na!

Chapter 4: Competition 

"Hiro-chan, let's ride this one next!"

"Eh? I can't ride that—it's a kiddy ride!"

"No, it's not! It's fun! Please? I'll be scared if no one comes on with me!"

She had been playing the same card all afternoon—the rides were "too scary," and she wanted Hiro to accompany her so she wouldn't be frightened. Hiro knew it was a lie, that she only wanted him to enjoy the rides, the noise, the artificially flavored junk food, just as much as she did, and wanted him to have fun. Tohru had been trying her best to keep up, carrying the souvenirs Kisa and Hiro bought, buying the food, and trying to figure out where it was the children were running to next. All the while she tried to keep her serene smile on her face, no matter how hard it was to keep up with the younger kids.

"Please, Hiro-chan? Please? I'd really like you to come on the ride with me. It'll be fun," Kisa continued to beg. Hiro looked up at the monstrosity she expected him to go on—it was a tall structure shaped like a giant mushroom, with swings hanging down from it in the shape of flowers. It was the kind of ride an adventurous kid would want to go on, but an adult could go on too and be perfectly comfortable—except they'd be utterly humiliated. Hiro sighed in defeat, then started walking over to the ride.

"All right, all right, I give," he said, and Kisa smiled brightly.

"Thank-you, Hiro-chan!" They walked over to the ride, Tohru sitting down on a nearby bench, sighing in relief as she put down the heavy load. She watched as Hiro and Kisa got aboard, smiling to herself—Hiro-san really had a weak spot for Kisa-san…

After a few minutes the ride started up, and she fell back on the bench, breathing deeply and starting to fall asleep. Hot days did that to her--they were so relaxing that sometimes she just fell asleep without any hesitation. She remember Kyo had called her an airhead on many an occasion because of it, but he never said why…In the middle of her thoughts, she fell asleep, and starting snoring blissfully, unaware of all the eyes that were glued to her in curiosity.

About 15 minutes later she woke up, yawning and vaguely wondering if Kisa and Hiro had gotten off the ride. She stretched for a few minutes, sighed happily, the turned around as if to see the two children walking over to her. When she turned around, the ride was just starting up again, some of the kids who had gotten off lining up again, but no sign whatsoever of Kisa and Hiro. Tohru felt a small fear sprout in her, and tried desperately to keep it from going out of control as she ran over to the ride.

_Don't panic, Tohru_, she told herself, _they probably just went to the bathroom or something. I'm sure they're all right. _She asked the person who controlled the ride if he had seen the two kids, but he only shrugged his shoulders and went back to working the giant toadstool. By now Tohru really was panicking, and was running all over the area looking for them—at food stands, in the bathroom, on rides—but they were nowhere to be found. After searching half the park for another 15 or 20 minutes she started to blame herself, and kept wondering weather they were okay—if they weren't, it would be all her fault, and Kisa and Hiro would never speak to her again. She didn't even take into account that they were the one's who had wandered off—she just stood there in the middle of the crowd, crying, and then yelled to the sky as loud as she could, causing more people to stare at her.

"Kisa-saaaaaaan! Hiro-saaaaaaaan! Where are yoooooou?"

Hiro was in fact dragging Kisa to the other side of the park. Hiro looked both victorious and annoyed, and his grip was hard on Kisa's wrist.

"H…Hiro-chan," she stuttered, "is it really all right to leave onee-chan behind?" Hiro didn't even turn around to look at her as he replied.

"Of course it is. She _did _say we could go anywhere in the park, just as long as we didn't get lost--"

"Or stray from her," added Kisa. Hiro glared, but still didn't face her.

"As I was saying, we're not lost, are we Kisa?" Kisa shook her head hesitantly.

"N-no, but--"

"Well, then we're fine. That stupid woman will find us eventually. In the mean time, which rides should we go on?" While Kisa was still worried about her onee-chan, she was still anxious to get on some of the new rides she was seeing, and was once again eager and perky.

"Um," she said, "why don't we go on that one?" She pointed to a ride named "The Scrambler," which was a machine spinning around countless cars and jerking them around violently. Hiro raised an eyebrow at the run-down condition of the ride, but nodded anyway.

"All right, then," he said, leading Kisa over to the ride, "we'll ride it, and then I get to choose. We've been going on rides you like all afternoon." Kisa giggled at his remark,

"That's fair enough, Hiro-chan," she said, just as the line moved up and it was their turn to get in a car.

Meanwhile, Tohru had ventured into the east part of the amusement park, and still there was no sign of the two. She asked countless people if they had seen them—a tall, brown-haired boy, and a shorter red-haired girl—but everyone she had asked so far hadn't seen them. Tohru was starting to feel very worried—what if they had been kidnapped or had wandered out of the park? If that were the case, she'd have to go to the Main Sohma House, but she didn't want to do so unless she had searched the park thoroughly first. She ran over to the roller coaster they had first gone on, hoping they had wanted another ride on it, but still no sign. She had searched the entire east and west part of the park by now, and still no sign of them. The only place she hadn't searched was the northern park—and they were sure to be there, unharmed but scared. She ran as fast as she could to the gate marking the entrance to North Park—_Hang on, you two_, she though, _I'm coming to find you!_

Hiro and Kisa got off the ride, laughing and joking, until Kisa remembered Hiro's request.

"Which ride should we go on next, Hiro-chan?" Hiro looked around, thinking of a ride he'd actually want to go on—and his eyes came to rest on a huge Ferris wheel. He grinned, and pointed it out to Kisa.

"How about that?" he asked. Kisa clapped her hands and squealed with joy.

"I love Ferris Wheels!" she exclaimed, and Hiro smiled.

"Yeah," he said under his breath, "I had a feeling you would."

"What's that, Hiro-chan?"

"Oh, nothing. Come on, we'd better line up." They walked over to the Ferris wheel, and were surprisingly next in line. The Ferris Wheel came to a stop, letting the people on the first cart off, then spun and let the next group off and so on, until Kisa and Hiro were inside one of the carts. Kisa looked out the window, laughing in delight as they rose higher into the sky. Hiro grinned, happy he had chosen something she enjoyed, and leaned back in his seat, looking out the window wistfully. A long silence followed, only broken by Kisa's happy giggles, until Hiro sat up and faced Kisa. Kisa noticed he was looking at her, and stopped looking out the window for the time being, knowing he had something he wished to tell her.

"Is something wrong, Hiro-chan?" she asked, smiling a small, uncertain smile, and cocking her head to one side. Hiro's face turned a pale red, and he looked down at the floor a he spoke.

"There was something I was going to tell you," he began, "at the taiyaki stand, but that Stupid Woman interfered." He paused for a moment, seeing Kisa was looking out the window once more, but still listening to his words. "I…Kisa, I really…I think I…" He faltered again, not sure what to say, and they sat in silence for a moment more. Suddenly, Kisa let out a small scream, and her face was pressed to the glass, her mouth open in shock.

"Onee-chan!" she cried. "Onee-chan is down there! Look, look, Hiro-chan!" Hiro did look, and saw that she was right—the stupid woman was standing near the Ferris wheel, looking around frantically as if she had lost something and was trying desperately to find it. Hiro sighed in annoyance, and leaned back in his chair.

_Figures_, he though angrily, _All she cares about is her onee-chan. I'm nothing but a "child-hood friend" now—she doesn't care about me the way I care about her. And why should I be surprised?_ The ride came to a stop, and Kisa ran off, Hiro following slower and a lot less enthusiastically. He watched as Kisa ran to Tohru, and Tohru half laughed half sobbed and hugged her as she came to her. His eyes seemed to be covered in a film, because suddenly the world was gray, like a faded picture, and there was no sound anywhere to be heard, except his own thoughts.

_She would have done a better job at protecting Kisa_, he thought, _I can't even be her prince, her knight, her anything. All I'll even be is a friend—a lousy, no good, smart-mouthed friend who not even someone I've known since I was small would care about. _ The film lifted, and he walked over to join the group stubbornly, Tohru chastising him about running off on his own and at the same time chastising herself for letting him go, and saying she was so glad he was safe. The whole time Hiro blocked out her words, and thought to himself instead how pathetic all of this really was.


	5. Chapter 5

Wow! Chapter 5 already! This fanfic has been going on for a while, I think. I have a few ideas of what I'm going to do for my next fic, but I'm afraid to start anything new because I'm afraid I'll get tied up, like I was when I started to write two fanfics at the same time. I guess this is how a real author (or manga-ka) feels about making deadlines and such…Sigh…Desu (I've been reading Fruits Basket recently, if that isn't obvious). I hope everyone is enjoying this fanfic so far (from all the good ratings I've been getting, I'd say so! Arigatou!). Okay, enough stalling—here's chapter 4!

Chapter 4: A Night on the Docks 

After spending a few more minutes at the park, Hiro suddenly decided he was bored. Kisa said she was finished at the theme park as well, so Tohru decided to move on to other things. She didn't speak of where they were going until they had left the park, and turned left instead of right, the way back to Shigure's house.

"Um, onee-chan?" asked Kisa hesitantly. "Aren't we going back to Shigure-ojiisan's house?" Hiro wondered the same thing, but was too irritated to say anything. Tohru smiled down at Kisa, and continued to lead them further away from the theme park.

"I thought that we'd go to the pier tonight," she said, "just because the sunsets in spring are so much prettier when seen from there! And there are also a lot of fun stands, just like at the carnival!" Hiro raised his eyebrows, trying to look like he wasn't listening or didn't care.

_Does this stupid woman take _anything_ seriously? _he asked himself, _It's like she's a little kid._ Since the docks were quite a ways from the amusement park, they had to take a taxi to the other side of town. The taxi ride was long and silent, and Hiro made Tohru sit on the far side, Kisa sitting between them. Tohru seemed to have to idea why he was so mad at her, which only made him angrier, and made Kisa sigh with worry.

After 10 minutes, what seemed like an hour to Hiro, they reached the dock. The sun was at least 20 minutes from starting to set, so Tohru gave them some spare change and money to spend on the numerous stands. Kisa ran along the boardwalk, dragging Hiro behind her, as Tohru followed at a leisurely pace, smiling brightly and admiring the water.

"Ooh, ooh, look, Hiro-chan! Look at that doll up there!" Kisa had stopped at a stand at which you had to throw a baseball at a pyramid of bottles to knock them down—a favorite of all carnivals. At the top shelf, to which she was pointing to was a giant tiger plush toy. "It's just like the one you got me before, but so much bigger! Can you try and win it for me?" Hiro shrugged.

"I don't mind, but aren't you capable of winning it yourself?" Kisa looked up at the tiger with longing, then back at the bottles she was expected to knock over.

"Um, I can try," she said timidly, walking over to the counter and putting her change down. "One round, please, Sir." The man grinned down and handed her three baseballs. Kisa picked one up carefully, as if it were some kind of foreign object, and stared at the bottles intently for a moment—she pulled her arm back, let go, and the ball went flying…landing a few feet from where Kisa had thrown it and nowhere near the bottles. Kisa furrowed her brow in concentration and picked up the next ball, fingering it for a few minutes and breathing in and out, as if in meditation. She threw the second baseball at the bottles with all her might, this time making the ball soar over the bottles and collide with the back wall of the stand. Kisa started to whine as she picked up the next ball—and stopped as firm fingers wrapped around her own on the third baseball. She looked up to see Hiro standing over her, his eyes glued on the bottles and a slight blush on his face.

"Concentrate on the bottles," he said gently in her ear, "and put all your strength in your arm. Focus, aim, and pull back." Kisa did as she was told, Hiro leading her through the steps carefully. "Now toss it," he said. Kisa took careful aim, relaxed her muscles, and tossed the ball as hard as she could. The ball soared through the air and met its mark, the bottles tumbling down to the floor. Hiro smiled, but before he could say anything, Kisa squealed and locked her arms around him, hugging him tightly.

"Thank-you so much, Hiro-chan!" she exclaimed, blissfully unaware of Hiro's scarlet face and stuttered protests. "You did it! You won it for me! Thank-you so much!" Hiro pried out of her death grip on him, his face still slightly red, and shook his head.

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "I didn't do anything. You're the one who knocked the pins down, not me. Oh look, you won the tiger." Kisa turned back to the stand to take her prize, thanking the man and hugging the plush tightly, then turned back to face Hiro, shaking her head vigorously.

"But you still helped me, Hiro-chan," she said, "You told me what to do, and you helped me win my tiger. For that, I owe you something special. I'll win you something now!" Before Hiro could protest, she was running down the boardwalk to the other brightly lit stands—Hiro sighed, and followed, almost wishing he'd let her win it on her own. Kisa had stopped at a goldfish catching stand, and was smiling down at the fish swimming around in the glass tank with a smile on her face. Hiro ruffled her hair playfully and sighed.

"So you want to catch me a goldfish? What good is that going to do? I don't have a place for a goldfish in my room." Kisa giggled, and stood up.

"Not only do you win a free goldfish if you catch one, but you also get a pass for two free ice cream cones. It's the perfect thing for you, Hiro-chan! Maybe not as good as my tiger, but I know how you like ice cream. Is that ok?" Hiro shrugged his shoulders, not admitting that it was a nice thought.

"I don't mind," he said, "so go ahead." Kisa nodded, and gave the man behind the counter her money. The man in turn handed her a small paper net and a bowel to dump the goldfish she caught in. Kisa stared hard at the water for a moment, then carefully lowered the net into the water. Before long, an orange goldfish that had been idly swimming over the net was caught, raised above the water, and dumped into the bowl, flopping around wildly. The man congratulated her, and put the fish in a plastic bag filled with water, then handed her the bag along with two purple slips of paper that he had pulled out of his pocket. Kisa took them with a grin, and turned around to face Hiro, holding both of the items out to him.

"Here," she said, "these are for you. Thank-you ever so much for helping me. I hope you'll take this as repayment." Hiro looked down at the items Kisa held before him, and couldn't help grinning. He nodded, and took the items from Kisa.

"Thanks," he said. "This is a great repayment." They walked further down the boardwalk, waiting at one point for Tohru to catch up, enjoying the sights and sounds and staring with wonder at the many stands they saw. Tohru bought them some apricot candy, which they ate enthusiastically and happily, Hiro hesitantly leaving a bit for her to enjoy. After about 20 minutes of goofing off, they sat on the dock, Kisa and Hiro licking the ice cream they had bought using the coupons, watching as the sun began to set over the wide ocean. After a minute, Tohru stood up, motioning for Hiro to follow. Hiro rolled his eyes, but stood up anyway, handing Kisa his cone as he stood up and walked over to the older woman.

"Did you have fun today, Hiro-san?" she asked when Hiro was standing at her side. Hiro crossed his arms over his chest and nodded.

"Though I hate to admit it, you did something right today, Honda," he said stubbornly. "It looks like Kisa really enjoyed herself. I'm glad—she needed a good excuse to get out of the House for a bit." Tohru smiled and nodded.

"Where you happy to get some time alone with Kisa today?" she asked quietly. Hiro stood stock still, his eyes widened in shock as he looked up at her.

"You…planned this, didn't you?" he asked slowly. "You wanted me and Kisa to be alone for a little while…didn't you?" Tohru's smile widened, and then vanished as she saw the fury in Hiro's eyes. "Hiro-san--" she began, but he cut her off.

"No!" he exclaimed, stepping away from Tohru. "I don't need your help, you hear me? I don't want you to interfere anymore! I want to tell Kisa on my own; I want to do what I can for her _on my own_. I don't want you to try and 'get us together,' or any of that crap!" He looked at the ground, his teeth clenched and his body shaking. "Why did you have to meet the Sohmas? Why did she have to meet you? Why? Is it because I couldn't protect her—because I'm too weak to do anything for her?" Tohru made a move to place a hand on his shoulder, but he flinched and pushed her away.

"No! Get away from me! I don't want your help! I don't need it!" He stood there, looking up at her, his face twisted with anger and pain. He seemed to realize what he was saying, and looked away. "Look at me—getting worked up over something like this. I just want to be able to do something for her. I don't want to be useless any longer." Tohru stood in silence, so he took that as a dismissal and walked back to the dock. Before he got more than a few steps, though, Tohru called out to him again.

"Do you know why humans have bumps on their backs? The one's near our shoulders?" she asked. Hiro spun around, arching his eyebrows skeptically.

"Uh…you mean shoulder blades?" he asked. Tohru nodded.

"On every human being, where those two bumps are, sprouted two wings—beautiful, white, angelic wings. Humans weren't much unlike angels in a way. Maybe that's why God took away our wings—because He feared we were getting too close to heavenly beings, and He didn't want humans to be seen as His equals. But He didn't rid us of our wings completely; instead He gave a feather to each human to keep in their hearts, giving them a little piece of the wings they once had, but not the same feather that had sprouted on their back—the feather of another. When you find that certain someone who holds your feather, that person has become your wings in a way, and you have become their wings, as well. We are holders of each other's feathers, and we are constantly searching for our lost wings—we are constantly searching for that one special person, the one we can make happier than anyone else can, and they are constantly searching for us. I haven't found my wings yet, but I know you will, Hiro-san—you just have to have faith, and I'm sure you'll succeed."

Hiro was frozen, standing there like a statue and looking at Tohru with soft eyes, like she had opened a new door for him that he had never been able to open before. He quickly covered his feelings with a scowl, and nodded.

"Whatever you say, Honda," he said. "I'm starting to think you enjoy giving sermons like this. Well, whatever. Thanks anyway." Hiro turned his back on the smiling girl and walked back over to Kisa, sitting down next to her and taking his ice cream cone back, which was half-melted already. He licked it thoughtfully for a minute then turned to look at Kisa. She was grinning softly and looking out at sea as the setting sun cast an orange fire across the sea's surface. Hiro blushed and looked away, his fast movement catching Kisa's eye. She turned to look at him, and gave him a gentler smile.

"Is something wrong, Hiro-chan?" she asked. Hiro stared down at the water below for a moment more, then shook his head roughly and looked up at Kisa, who cocked her head innocently.

"Kisa," he began, the girl's smile fading as she saw his serious eyes, "I know that that woman has done a better job of protecting you in the past. I haven't done anything for you—I'm sorry, Kisa." Kisa shook her head and placed a hand on Hiro's.

"That's not true, Hiro-chan!" she said. "You're always so nice to me, and you're always there for me, and…and…." Her voice drifted away as she saw Hiro's eyes were filled with sorrow. She gripped Hiro's hand tighter, his sorrow reflected in her eyes. "Hiro-chan. I don't think you're worthless. I don't think you've done nothing for me in the past. You're always there for me, and I'm grateful. I want you to be with me forever, Hiro-chan, because I care about you so much." Hiro looked up, the anguish in his eyes changing to surprise.

"Kisa," he said slowly, "could you…I mean…do you…?" He paused, and looked back at the ocean as the sun was almost disappearing over the horizon. He thought back to Tohru's words—could it be true? Could she really…? He shook his head; that was crazy. There was no way that that Stupid Woman's story could be true…could it? He looked back at Kisa again, and smiled softly at her.

"I really care about you too, Kisa," he said, "and I'm glad we're together—I, too, would like to stay with you as long as possible." _I'll become your wings, _he thought, _because I know that you have become mine._

Kisa and Hiro watched as the sun finally set, and watched as the first few stars came out, until Kisa fell asleep, and laid her head on Hiro's shoulder, breathing evenly. Hiro smiled, and carefully stood up, picking her up, and then carried her over to Tohru, who was waiting over near the entrance. Her face lit up when she saw the two, and she took Kisa from Hiro's arms gently, carrying her over to the taxi whose windows were lit brightly. Hiro looked up at the stars once more, and found a star that glittered brighter than the rest. He closed his eyes and wished upon it, a small smile forming on his lips. A voice broke his thoughts, and he turned to see Tohru was calling him. He shook his head—when was that Stupid Woman going to learn to keep her voice lower? He glanced back at the sky one last time, then ran over to the taxi.

_Please, _he thought as he ran, _let her find her wings, even if they aren't with me. I've found mine, but that doesn't mean I can regain my ability to fly—I might just crash back to Earth. Let her find hers before I leave the ground._

**Fin**


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